Eaehph
Eaehph is one of the oldest cities in the Land of Order. Its native people are mostly descendant from tribes in the foothills of the Range of Tyhrnor, in the shadow of the looming One Mountain. They were rather primitive in terms of technology, and lived in relative intellectual darkness. It was only when the Protectorate descended down upon them, flattening the terrain and teaching them agriculture and advanced stone-and-metal working, that these tribal people started to develop. They grew into the Eaehpheans of today. History The early history of Eaehph is well described by Cer the Magelord (An introduction to the Last Magelord). “''It was many years ago when Eaehph first began- generations upon generations. Even my great-great-great grandfather would not have remembered it, if he was alive today. Back then, the people of Eaehph were tribal people, living in the foothills of the Range of Tyhrnor and under the shadow of the One Mountain.'' '' Then, as the tales go, beings descended from the very heavens. They were beings of light and purity, with wings like birds and eyes like fire. They brought knowledge to us, nurtured and mentored us, and helped us found Eaehph. It was under their guidance that we raised the great walls, and built our cities of stone. We now know them as Protectors.'' '' That is how we began. We, meaning Eaehph. We existed before, after a fashion, but the Protectors unified us and introduced us to lands near and far away. They broadened our horizons, unshackled us from our limits.'' '' Those, as the histories say, were the good times. For five hundred years, we lived in a golden age, full of prosperity and happiness. Cities grew tall and wide. Towns spread across our land, filling with a many multitudes of different beings, from Men to Dwarves, Elves to Giants, and Gnomes to Guardians. We were unified. We were strong.'' '' Then came war. It is a bloody thing that haunts footsteps wherever knowledge goes, biting at ankles and raising its hackles like a feral wolf that cannot be shaken. For years and years Eaehph and the other nations in this land fought a malicious enemy, one formless like the darkness and numberless like the waters in the sea. We were nearly overwhelmed.'' '' It also went badly for the Protectors. This darkness, this evil, infected some of them like a disease; many of them went dark and became Fallen. It was a civil war up there, with the Fallen hiding amongst the unturned. The Protectors had trouble knowing which of their brethren were corrupt and which were not. As it was below, so it was echoed above. As it was above, so it was reflected below.'' '' But we overcame. We fought our enemies and drove them to the very bounds of the land. The good Protectors cast down the Fallen and laid mist-walls over the borders, mists so thick and black they were like twilight, so tall and dense they were like cliff-sides. They served as bastions, keeping them out and keeping us safe.'' '' We lived in peace once more! Glorious, happy peace. But those looming mists were a constant reminder of the war, and we remembered the barely controlled, fell things behind it. We rejoiced, yes, but through our happiness we remembered the dark times of war. We never forgot what cruelties had befallen us during the red-splattered campaigns between us and them. '' '' So as we brought in our good harvest, as we built our gardens and libraries, we also thickened our walls and fortified our cities, building great watchtowers and strengthening our gates.'' '' All this, so we could be ready for when war came again. Because we could feel it, feel the tension. It would come again.''” At this point, where the passage ends, the Eaehpheans experienced a second great war against the forces of evil, in the beginning of which it was corrupted by a former demon-king of Amganore, Liegenor. He killed the king of Eaehph- the benevolent Clauhdnous II- and then took over the realm with the help of power-hungry soldiers and nobles. He was later overthrown by Cer, who helped move the line of succession back to its rightful heir. Community Eaehph is shallowly rooted in religion, for a civilization with such a remarkable beginning. The people there are mostly friendly to other members of the community, but are suspicious of 'newcomers'- from immigrants to travelers. The outer cities, nearer to the edges of The Ring, are much more relaxed in this regard. The capital, Ralagence, has several Surgefountains in the center of the city. These Surgefountains can heal minor wounds and fix minorly bent tools, and are powered by the king's scepter. Education Many of the citizens are taught little, unless they are born into a working trade that requires education, or they seek a scholarly position. But a large portion of the population (nearly half of all able-bodied men) are enlisted into the king's army, which has been maintained ever since the end of the disastrous encounter with Fallen-generated monsters. These men, and usually the families related, do not usually seek an education. Unfortunately, in younger generations many boys look down on literacy as unimportant, in contrast to sword-fighting or combat sports. Indeed, even the boys of artisan, merchant, or industrial families do not like higher education that much, and consider it a vice that must be endured, rather than a benefit. It is no surprise that Eaehphean arts and technology has stayed in a stagnant state ever since the end of the last war. In the golden years when the Protectors supported and nurtured Eaehph, education was valued rather more highly. Government The Eaehphean form of government is a monarchy in nature, although has mixes reminiscent of feudal society. Powerful houses, at the heads of which are Lords, rule the surrounding seven major cities with knights underneath them. They owe allegiance to the king, who lives in the capital Ralagence. Smaller towns are headed by governors who are in theory supposed to owe allegiance to the nearest city, but rather more often than not claim their allegiance straight to the king, with nearly no real adherence to the Lords. Towns nearest to the four main gates near the huge wall that encompasses Eaehph (The Ring) have almost as much power as the eight major cities. Commerce The main exports of Eaehph include rare Fractures (the blue crystals found in the heart of the One Mountain that seem to have intricate, fractal patterns inside of them), white marble, granite, high carbon steel, and chickens. Category:Places